Notre Dame wide receiver Miles Boykin (81) makes a one handed catch in front of LSU defensive back Donte Jackson (1) for a 55-yard game winning touchdown during the second half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. Notre Dame won 21-17.(Photo: John Raoux, AP)

More than anything, the Fighting Irish just wanted to finish the season with 10 wins. With 2 minutes remaining, it looked like they would be denied. Until a backup quarterback made a game-winning touchdown pass to a backup wide receiver.

Notre Dame went on to beat LSU 21-17 and finished with 10 wins for the second time in three years — one year after going 4-8.

Here are three reasons the Irish beat the Tigers:

1. That game-winning touchdown

With less than 2 minutes to play and LSU leading 17-14, wide receiver Miles Boykin made arguably one of the best offensive plays of the year. He beat his man and made a one-handed, 55-yard catch behind his head for a game-winning touchdown.

The Irish sideline erupted.

Boykin, who hauled in three receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown in the victory, had only caught nine passes for 151 yards and a score this season. Brian Kelly said during bowl preparation the junior would receive more playing time with Chase Claypool out with an injury and Kevin Stepherson suspended.

“It was really a blur,” Boykin said after the game. “We talk about situations like that all the time, but it’s not often that you get to be in one like this. So it was just an extremely humbling moment for me just to go out there and make a play. As a receiver, we’re playmakers and winning the 50-50 ball, we talk about that every day. I had to make the play otherwise you don’t know what the outcome is gonna be."

With a little over a minute remaining, Notre Dame's defense held firm and didn't allow LSU to get downfield.

2. Overcoming mistakes and missed opportunities

Kelly said the day before the Citrus Bowl that special teams “scare the heck out of me,” when asked about his biggest concerns against LSU. He was mostly referring to the Tigers’ punt return game, but perhaps should have been talking about his own unit.

The biggest error of the day for the Irish came when Chris Finke was trying to field a punt in the third quarter. Freshman defensive back Isaiah Robertson got in the way and the ball hit him and LSU recovered the bouncing ball near the Notre Dame sideline. Kelly was not happy and was caught coaching up his player on the sideline. The Tigers proceeded to score its first touchdown of the game on the ensuing 43-yard drive to take a 7-3 lead early in the second half. A short field helped finish a drive for an LSU offense that had already missed two short field goals.

On the other side of the ball, LSU missed two field goals in the first half. But Notre Dame failed to take advantage. The first came after the Irish defense’s goal line stand. LSU was set to go for fourth-and-goal, but was called for a false start, and Connor Culp missed a 22-yard field goal instead. Notre Dame responded by going three-and-out.

On LSU’s next drive it missed a 37-yard field goal and the Irish responded by kicking a field goal on its next possession to take a 3-0 lead into halftime.

Kelly was asked about special teams after the game.

"We didn't finish drives early in the game," Kelly said. "But we flipped field position, if you remember in the first quarter with a great punt. And (kicker) Justin Yoon was outstanding today. He kept LSU separating from us. So you know, the kicking game was outstanding.

"We were really nervous about their punt return game. I thought our special teams were on point, other than the mistake that we made on the punt, which set up a touch down for us. We just have to be more aware in that situation. But our kickers were really solid today and when you play a game like this where it's going to be close and it's going to be a low scoring game, they have to impact the game and I would say that both those kids made their mark."

Notre Dame was ultimately able to overcome its miscues and come out with a win in the final minutes.

There was no inkling heading into this game that quarterback Brandon Wimbush wouldn’t play. His inconsistencies this season have been discussed at length, but Kelly has been patient with his first-year starter and said this week that he was showing “a lot more consistency in what he’s doing.”

Wimbush went 3 of 8 for 52 yards passing and added 38 yards rushing before he was replaced by backup Ian Book in the second quarter. Kelly said after the game that the plan all along was to play both quarterbacks.

"This wasn't a surprise to Ian," Kelly said. "Ian was prepared. Brandon knew as well that both of them were going to play."

Wimbush looked confident and was running the offense at the start. His most promising drive was stalled through no fault of his own in the first quarter. After getting the offense to the LSU 46-yard-line after a 31-yard run, the play called was a double-pass where he gave the ball to freshman tight end Cole Kmet, who threw an incomplete pass to Tony Jones on first down. Wimbush rushed on second down, but then was replaced by Book on the next play. He threw an incomplete pass to Equanimeous St. Brown and Notre Dame was forced to punt.

Wimbush finished the first quarter and played one series in the second before being permanently benched for the rest of the game.

Book finished the day 14 of 19 for 164 yards with two touchdowns and and an interception. He completed a critical 29-yard pass to Boykin, which set up a tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Five plays later hit freshman Michael Young for a 6-yard score, which was followed up by a successful two-point conversion to tie the game 14-14 with 7:79 remaining.

Most importantly, Book found Boykin again with less than two minutes to play for the game-winning 55-yard touchdown.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Ian Book (12) celebrates after throwing a go-ahead touchdown pass to wide receiver Miles Boykin (not pictured) against the LSU Tigers during the second half in the 2018 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Matt Stamey-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame wide receiver Miles Boykin, left, runs to the end zone past LSU safety John Battle (26) on his way to the score the game-winning touchdown during the second half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. Notre Dame won 21-17. John Raoux, AP

Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Julian Love (27) celebrates after a turnover on downs late in the fourth quarter against the LSU Tigers in the 2018 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Matt Stamey-USA TODAY Sports

LSU linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson, left, breaks up a pass intended for Notre Dame running back Tony Jones Jr. during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. John Raoux, AP

LSU wide receiver Russell Gage (83) tries to get around Notre Dame safety Jalen Elliott (21) after a reception during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. John Raoux, AP

LSU quarterback Danny Etling, left, throws a pass as he is rushed by Notre Dame defensive lineman Daelin Hayes during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. John Raoux, AP

Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book (12) is sacked by LSU nose tackle Ed Alexander (95) during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. John Raoux, AP

Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Nyles Morgan (5) celebrates after the LSU Tigers missed a field goal during the first half in the 2018 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Matt Stamey-USA TODAY Sports

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Notre Dame's quarterback situation is clearly up in the air and Kelly did not give an answer on who his definitive starter would be heading into 2018.

"I don't think I'm ready to get into all of those things," Kelly said. "I mean, we just won a football game, and then we'll make all those decisions later."

Kelly and offensive coordinator Chip Long both iterated this week that Wimbush has much to work on with his mechanics, confidence and consistency during the offseason. How he progresses over the next few months will be watched closely, especially with highly-touted incoming freshman Phil Jurkovec arriving in the fall.